Blackfriars Bridge (City Of Ascension Prequel)
by L.Aguila
Summary: "It won't be long before we're all gone," wrote Jem. Tessa had been thrown into another impossible decision, will she face her fear of bitter memories? (This is a one-shot prequel to the recently completed fanfic I wrote, which is the City of Ascension. I want to separate it so it wouldn't confuse the readers.)
1. Chapter 1

**The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices Crossover**

**Blackfriars Bridge**

_**A Prequel to City of Ascension**_

**Author's Note:**

**If you haven't read The Infernal Devices Trilogy_ (Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince and Clockwork Princess), all _by Cassandra Clare, I advice you not to read this. Be spoilt at your own risk.**

_Hi there!_

_Let me just tell you that If you haven't read _City Of Ascension_, a fanfiction I recently completed, you may not fully appreciate this fanfic._

_It's something I just tested on and realized that I loved writing it down, so here's the result._

_You're free to read the main fanfic if you want! Because that's the best idea, actually. Keep reviewing, loves!_

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Blackfriar's Bridge, 2008

The cold London weather had suddenly made the day gloomy and sad. The sky was thick with grey, and the streets were filled with people walking in coats. It will have to rain soon, and Tessa hoped that the heavens will give her a little more time to sit and wait. She tucked her long, brown hair behind her ears as the wave of strong and cold breeze caressed her face. It was unbelievable. She had been alive for hundreds of years and she still manages to control her sanity. Things have changed and gone right in front of her, but she left young and unchanging, always grounded to the Earth as its permanent prisoner. It would have been dull if Magnus was not there, of course. She had traveled to Paris and many other beautiful places with him, the way she usually had wanted to since she was a little girl. Will could not leave the Institute at the time, of course. He had his duties.

Perhaps she hoped that the Angels would bring down a curse on her, bound to the Institute—if it were the only way to never lose Will forever. She had chosen to leave most of what she had known of the Shadow World after Will was gone, she didn't want to ever look back. Lucie and James, her children, had never understood why she left. Perhaps they never did until the day they died. Tessa pushed the thoughts away from her mind, it was a piece of memory she did not want to ever recall. She had always blamed herself for leaving, but she somehow knew that it will never be easy for her to do so when the day would come that she will all watch them live and die. She will be a permanent piece of the Institute, growing old with it, and never changing.

A Shadow loomed before her, but she did not panic. She always knew who it was, his heavy robes clinging against his lean structure. She spoke, "I thought the rain would pour before I would be able to see you."

He pulled his hood back, showing dark brown hair and a pale, scarred face that never fails to make Tessa feel sorry to him. Otherwise, Jem still looked healthy and strong, and she would take that over watching him writhe in pain as he coughed blood out of his system. Tess closed her eyes slowly, it's as if the memory was only a picture of yesterday._ Then I guess it is by the Angel that we are permitted to meet._ His voice echoing inside her head, she didn't like being reminded that he was now a Silent Brother and he was never going to be the Shadowhunter that he was again. Before she could tell him what she thought, Jem was already sitting on the bench beside her.

She looked at him. The harsh scars on his high cheekbones may have hurt at the time. He looked like the mild Jem she had first met, only scarred with many other painful things that life has brought upon him. Noticing her utter silence, he spoke first. This time, his soft voice was carried through the cold air. "What were you thinking about?"

Tessa simply shrugged. The thought inside her head had always bothered her, and for whatever reason, she simply didn't know. The look on Jem's face was worried and sad, like he also had a lot to say to her, but they didn't have much time. "I have been alive too long, and it seems like I have grown numb to everything else in the world."

Jem closed his eyes and nodded, understanding. Tessa knew that he had known her enough to know that he didn't believe what she just said. Or partly, because it was also true, watching the world pass and grow and decay before her was something she would never have wished to do. "I have been alive quite long enough, too." He said, "but I have something to live for."

"The Brotherhood," Tessa quickly spoke, shivering at the biting cold that the wind was blowing.

Jem looked as if he would disagree, thought better of it, and then he nodded instead. He was smiling, the soft and gentle smile that had made her heart warm before. "Why hadn't you Ascended, Tessa?"

The question had almost made her panic. It was something Will had also asked her a long while back. He was sure that she would be worthy to be a full Shadowhunter. Yet to Tessa, she would never want to lose something that had always protected her family. It seemed like a good idea at the time. "The Shadow World seems like a dream to me," she replied. Tessa was careful not to address him as Jem. "It's seemed years ago since I was part of it."

"But you are still part of it, Tessa." He said.

She shook her head, clearly not wanting to hear what Jem had to say.

"I cannot stay long," Jem said, "I need to be in the Bone City before noon."

Tessa looked at him. Jem, with the tasks that bound him, had turned into Brother Zachariah again. Sometimes, when they meet at the Bridge, she would forget what he was for a moment. It's like she wanted to take her memories of Jem and try to relive them in front of her. Brother Zachariah, was the closest thing to that dream, and perhaps it had been enough—considering how unfair it could be. "I wish we could have had more time." She absent-mindedly replied.

"I left a letter in the Institute," He said, "where your room would be if you were still there."

She didn't know how to reply, she had not known how she would ever go to the Institute without feeling like she's intruding. Jem saw the alarm in her face and he quickly told her, "I left it with someone whom the both of us could trust. You don't have to walk directly inside. It's just that she doesn't have all day to wait for you."

Tessa didn't know what to say, she wanted to ask him if who was waiting for her, but instead she nodded and smiled at him. There was a moment after she smiled, that somehow, a glad sense of relief passed Jem's eyes. He reached for her as if he would embrace her, but he only took her hand. "If you wish to know anything at all, talk to Magnus Bane. I somehow knew he was waiting for you."

She looked puzzled. "But I was in Alicante and talked to him. He never said anything."

"That was then, when they thought it was all over."

Without looking at her, he pulled on his hood and started to walk away. Tessa just stared after him as their distance was stretching before her. Soon after, Jem's figure can no longer be seen, swallowed by the rushing crowd of Londoners on a fine Tuesday morning. She looked down at the road behind her. She could remember the way to the London Institute by heart, most especially the way from the Bridge, where quite a lot had happened then. The battle, Jem's gentleness beneath the silver's in his hair and irises, Will's confusion. It was like reading a book and remembering it years after. She thought for a moment, of Will and Jem, of Charlotte and Henry, of Sophie and Gideon, of Cecily and Gabriel—most especially of Lucie and James. She thought of how the Institute would trigger the memory of them in her already numb heart.

Tessa couldn't understand why nor she could ever control herself. She felt her feet move down the road towards the Institute, where Jem's letter would be waiting for her.

* * *

The Gothic structure of the London Institute rose from the otherwise modern London grounds, somehow misplaced, unchanging and old as it had always been. She could almost remember the day she rode a carriage coming to this place. It was dark and cold at that time, the same way it had been right now. It had rained twice since she and Jem parted ways, and her shoes made noises as she stepped on wet asphalt. She had begun walking to the Institute in the morning, but she hesitated once in a while and she was trying to walk away to somewhere else, trying to think about it at first. Though it seems like every time she tries to walk away and suddenly immersed in her thoughts, her feet would somehow finds themselves walking back towards the Institute.

She looked about area, the Institute's glory rising above it, and then she pushed the gates open.

Tessa walked inside the courtyard, the green grass the same way it had been since she arrived. She was glad that the place was still taken cared of, despite the years if change. She was walking around, not coming near the doors, and expecting someone to greet her. When she didn't see anyone, she had suddenly felt bothered. She took note that Jem said she wouldn't have to go all the way inside, but he had also said that the one who was to deliver the letter couldn't wait all day. She looked at the sky, it was darker than ever that night.

She had considered walking away and coming back in the morning, but her heart was telling her to go and take Jem's letter right at the moment. She knew she might change her mind the next day, she realized. It won't be long, as she wouldn't stay in a place that will open old wounds for her. Tessa inhaled the thick cold air and composed herself. _It won't be long_, she repeated the thought in her mind. She walked towards the tall double doors of the Institute, its handles whispering of old memories. Tessa raised her hand to open the doors, she was a Shadowhunter and she will have the permission to come in. Just before she could push the doors open, a familiar female voice called out to her.

"Tessa!"

It was incredible. The voice sounded as if it were something at the back of her mind, something she wouldn't easily forget. She turned around, following the voice that came from a corner of the courtyard. She walked towards it, suddenly fueled with nervous excitement. Tessa had never been this close to something that was part of her past before, and she was mostly glad. She saw the owner of the sweet female voice, standing at one corner, looking at her.

Her white dress had looked the same way it had been a hundred years ago. Her light, blonde curls were falling beautifully around her pale and round face. There was innocence and familiarity in those brown eyes, she didn't appear to be the tortured young girl who was losing it inside the cells of the Bone City. Time has passed longer than Tessa realized.

"_Jessamine_." She whispered to herself, trying it, as if the name itself had almost been foreign to her. "Jessamine!" Tessa finally called out.

The other girl walked slowly in the dark, her phantom dress swirling around her. "Sadly, there is no way you could embrace me. Well, if you ever wanted to do that." The deep, English accent was still prominent in her voice. It was almost shocking, talking to Jessie like this, like she had always been alive all these years.

"I would have done that," Tessa gently replied. Looking at the girl who could be seen by only a few, and Tessa had felt sorry for her. "How are you doing, Jessie?"

The other girl smiled, the light showing in her eyes. "You look dashing in pants," Jessie was looking straight towards Tessa, like she had waited all her life to meet someone that had been part of her past. "I can already walk inside the Institute and it's rooms. Sometimes, I step inside my room and see Baby Jessie still there. It's like I was never forgotten."

Tessa only looked at the other girl, Jessie was indeed beautiful and young and vulnerable. Though perhaps, things have changed since then. "We never really forgot about you," She said, "and we all missed you."

"I asked Will not to tell any of you, it would be better that way." She said, then looked down at her feet as if weighing her words. "Do you still hate me, Tessa?"

Tessa was taken aback. She had never expected Jessamine to ask such question. "Oh, Jessie," she sighed, "I never hated you. I did everything I did so you would realize what was wrong, so we could have you back again. I loved Nate, Jessie. Yet he wasn't the young and kind brother I had anymore. He was evil and uncaring." The words came out of Tessa as she spoke with such bitter memory that had suddenly flashed behind her eyes. "I loved you both, but something has to be done."

Jessamine was looking down, shielding the emotion away from Tessa. Finally, the light-haired girl raised her eyes the spoke, "Jem left a letter for you." She stepped aside and pointed at a piece of envelope stuck between the vines.

Tessa looked at the other girl with gentleness. "Thank you, Jessie." She walked towards the piece of envelope and took it. Seeing the simple inscription of her name in Jem's fluid handwriting, she quickly flipped the thin envelope and opened the letter. She read down the letter, emotions bleeding through each and every word that she had come across._ All these years I have lurked behind the robes of the Brotherhood, hoping that one day I will be part of the world you walk in._ There were now tears threatening to fall from Tessa's eyes, the letter had the tone of the same honest and gentle Jem she had met. She was reading it and imagining his voice speaking directly to her. _It will be yours to decide, after all. Yet for whatever's worth, I wish I would be there when the danger dawns upon you. For I, from the very beginning of it all, had promised William that you will be above everything and anything I do._

There was lump in Tessa's throat, and she tried to clear it. She turned around to say one last thing to Jessamine—but she was gone. Tessa didn't know what to do. Ascending will not be the perfect option, for it had been long since she was trained to hold a weapon or to manipulate it. If this was what Jem was asking her, then it could only be serious._ It won't be long until we are all gone,_ he had said.

She took one last look at the letter, took a sharp breath, and reached for her phone. She couldn't understand what she felt the very moment, but she was already calling Magnus Bane.

* * *

_I'm guessing there are some of you who wants the letter? _

**Yes, I will be uploading it, don't worry.**

**I just did this oneshot as a break from writing my new fanfic, _The Dawn of The Circle, _it would be amazing if you guys could follow and read that, too. It's taking longer than usual to update that story, because you know, I'm starting from scratch.**

**It's about the young Circle, and I happen to be fascinated by them.**

_Expect Jem's letter in the next chapter, loves._

_and oh! Please message me for your ideas regarding the story of the Circle. _

_Hallelujah._


	2. Jem's Letter to Tessa

**JEM'S LETTER**

**This is the letter from the oneshot entitled: Blackfriars Bridge.**

**Enjoy reading this one, loves.**

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_Tessa,_

_It had been a Century since we first met yet I could still see the brightness of your aura, like no other person is quite like you. You have been created for destruction, but your heart stays good and warm. The world was given someone who could send out the demons into each and every corner of the land, but you chose to fight against what Hell created. All these years I have lurked behind the robes of the Brotherhood, hoping that one day I will be part of the world you walk in. There are things I can never really control. I am called upon by responsibility, under the seal of the Covenant. It would be much to ask you to Ascend, though you do know there are larger things to look into. I would carry each and every burden for you if I could, but the world is not all about the nephilim. This is why I am writing to you instead of personally saying each and every word in this letter. I would never give you the burden of all Shadowhunters, but all of us were born to be selfless for the weak and ignorant. I am conflicted in asking you this, thus I am leaving you to move on your own. It will be yours to decide, after all. Yet for whatever's worth, I wish I would be there when the danger dawns upon you. For I, from the very beginning of it all, had promised William that you will be above everything and anything I do._

_It won't be long until we are all gone. I hope just by the end of this life and this battle, after the blood and tears and the worst are over, that You, William and I will be reunited. I hope to see that one day our paths will cross again, just like the first day our lives collided. In love and in pain, in sickness and in health, with hopes of living forever in eternity._

_With unfading hope,_

_James Carstairs_

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**It was quite heartbreaking writing this letter.**

**Please follow and review _The Dawn of the Circle_. It's a fanfic telling the story of the young Circle. I hope you enjoy!**


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